Talking To Teens: Expert Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Afleveringen

1. Ep 342: Hot vs. Cold Communication Explained

   13 juli 2025 · 26 min

   Afspelen
   Kenneth Ginsburg, author of Lighthouse Parenting, explains how parents can build lasting bonds with teens by balancing structure, trust, and unconditional love, and shares practical communication strategies. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   We often hear that teens thrive best when they feel deeply understood, loved without judgment, and gently guided rather than controlled. But this balance is hard to strike—especially as teens push away, test boundaries, and become more independent. Too much freedom feels unsafe, yet too much vigilance breeds rebellion. How can we stay close, set boundaries, and respect teens' autonomy, all at the same time?

   The secret might lie in what Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg calls “lighthouse parenting". Instead of hovering anxiously like a helicopter, micromanaging like a lawnmower, or retreating entirely, a lighthouse parent provides steady guidance from the shoreline. They trust teens to navigate life's waves yet remain watchful, reliable, and ready to help when needed. Done right, this blend of love, boundaries, and respect leads to children who flourish not just during adolescence, but also maintain a strong, loving connection with parents throughout adulthood.

   Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg is a leading pediatrician, adolescent health specialist, and author of numerous influential books, including his latest, Lighthouse Parenting: Raising Your Child with Loving Guidance for a Lifelong Bond. Through decades of research and practical experience working with adolescents and families, Ken has identified simple yet powerful ways parents can connect with teens while also helping them cultivate strength, compassion, and resilience.

   In this episode, Ken shares the key ingredients of lighthouse parenting and how to implement them practically, starting today. From smarter ways to praise and discipline, to addressing judgment and communicating more calmly, you’ll learn actionable insights you can put into practice immediately.

   The Lighthouse Approach to Parenting

   We start…

2. Ep 341: Launching Your Teen into Adulthood

   16 juni 2025 · 21 min

   Afspelen
   Robert Finlay, author of Hey Dad, shares essential strategies on how parents can equip teens with crucial adulting skills, covering money management, networking, handling emergencies, and building independence. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   Do your teens sometimes shock you with questions you assumed they already knew the answer to? Maybe they call in the middle of the night wondering how to fill gas in their car or whether they can use the mysterious "green gas." These “Hey Dad” (or "Hey Mom") calls are more than just amusing anecdotes—they highlight a gap we're all trying to fill as parents: how do we ensure our teenagers really understand the requirements of adulting before they leave the nest?

   Most parents worry whether they have properly prepared their kids for adulthood, for those surprising (and inevitable!) real-world circumstances. But with teens constantly occupied by schoolwork, sports, friends, and the digital world, how can we efficiently—and effectively—pass along the essential skills needed to confidently step into adulthood?

   Our guest this week, Rob Finlay, found himself pondering the same question after repeated "Hey Dad" calls from his four kids. Inspired by these moments—and a particularly memorable call from his daughter asking about gas options—Rob set out to gather the necessary knowledge teens needed. After collecting advice and insight from over 30 experts ranging from finance executives to medical specialists and seasoned first responders, Rob compiled Hey Dad: Everything You Should Have Learned About Life But Didn’t, a hands-on guide to navigating early adulthood.

   In our conversation, Rob shares practical tips and hilarious stories to help parents bridge life-skill gaps with their teens. We discuss how to approach money management, prepare kids for career uncertainties, teach networking fundamentals and handle emergencies without panic, and ultimately shift those seemingly trivial late-night phone calls into moments that reflect growth and independ…

3. Ep 340: Why Teens Need You to Listen Differently

   2 juni 2025 · 20 min

   Afspelen
   Christine Miles, author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?, teaches us how transformational listening can deepen connections with teenagers by hearing what's unsaid, asking the right questions, and creating life-changing conversations. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   We all think of ourselves as pretty good listeners, right? But consider this: 96% of us claim good listening skills, yet only 2% have ever had formal training in how to listen. As parents, teachers, or mentors of teenagers, we spend so much energy worrying about what we say in conversations—we want to give advice, teach life lessons, and help teens make the right decisions. But the truth is, we often completely overlook the real key to meaningful communication: our ability to listen deeply.

   Most of our listening approaches barely scratch the surface and simply skim the basic facts of a situation. However, teens rarely communicate straight to the heart of what’s truly bothering them. A surface complaint or confrontation can disguise deeper emotional struggles. How can we move beyond mundane conversation and create more meaningful connections with the young people in our lives?

   Our guest Christine Miles, author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?, is a renowned listening expert and speaker, who has spent her life empowering people to tap into what she calls “transformational listening.” Christine’s groundbreaking work has led her to teach listening workshops nationwide, helping families, educators, and corporate teams unlock deeper understanding, resolve problems, and build authentic connections through the power of listening better.

   In this thoughtful and eye-opening episode, Christine shares powerful insights from her personal story and her professional expertise to demonstrate exactly why listening is so crucial, and how developing listening skills will profoundly affect all aspects of our relationships with teens.

   Why Teens Need Transformational Listening

   Christine introduces the idea of transforma…

4. Ep 339: Ending Imposter Syndrome for Teens

   26 mei 2025 · 21 min

   Afspelen
   Richard Orbé-Austin, author of Your Child's Greatness, discusses imposter syndrome, perfectionism, boundaries, and how parents can empower teens to build true resilience and self-confidence. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   As parents, we want the best for our teenagers. We hope they'll be successful academically, thrive socially, and embrace the opportunities ahead. But lurking beneath the surface for many adolescents—and adults—is the pervasive doubt called imposter syndrome: the haunting fear of being revealed as a fraud, not belonging, or never being good enough. Surprisingly common, imposter syndrome can emerge quietly and lead our teens toward patterns of perfectionism, people-pleasing, anxiety, and even deeper stress.

   But how can parents recognize the signs of imposter feelings in their kids? And more importantly, how do we help teens develop the resilience, confidence, and realistic self-image that protect them against its harmful effects?

   To unravel these questions, we're joined by Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin, psychologist and co-author of Your Child's Greatness. An expert on imposter syndrome, Richard understands how these subtle feelings of doubt can sometimes quietly shape a person's identity, often beginning at a young age. He provides practical, down-to-earth strategies parents can use to nurture healthier mindsets in teens, helping them genuinely own their strengths while managing the anxieties involved in growth and change.

   Understanding Teen Imposter Syndrome

   Richard first helps us understand exactly what imposter syndrome means. Though not an official mental health disorder, "Imposter Syndrome" describes the chronic feeling that your success is undeserved or accidental, despite evidence to the contrary. As Richard explains, it often surfaces in perfectionist individuals who strive for an elusive, unrealistically perfect "ideal self" and become critical of their actual self. It's common among high-achievers, causing them to attribute their success to luck or exte…

5. Ep 338: How Teens Can Master Emotional Control

   12 mei 2025 · 16 min

   Afspelen
   Ethan Kross, author of Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You, explains how teens and parents can become adept at emotional regulation, manage upsetting feelings effectively, and develop healthier responses to life's challenges. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   Emotional regulation—the ability to manage and shift our feelings—has huge implications for everyone, especially teenagers. It's a life skill that might just make the difference between thriving or struggling in adulthood. Teens understandably grapple with heightened emotions and can sometimes feel controlled by them rather than the other way around. But what if we could teach them how to manage their emotions and build resilience early on?

   The effects of emotional dysregulation can be major: kids who struggle with this skill are more likely to face substance abuse, school dropout, and even criminal behavior as they grow older. Meanwhile, teens who are skilled at managing their emotional states tend to excel academically, professionally, and have healthier relationships overall. The good news is that emotion regulation is a learnable and teachable skill, with far-reaching positive effects if mastered during adolescence.

   In this episode, we're joined once again by Ethan Kross, award-winning professor, renowned researcher, and author of the new book Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You. Ethan has dedicated his career to unpacking the mystery of our emotional worlds, blending cutting-edge research with practical, actionable insights. As both a scientist and a parent of a teen himself, Ethan understands deeply how crucial it is to arm our kids (and ourselves!) with simple yet powerful emotional regulation strategies.

   In our conversation, Ethan shares eye-opening findings, common misconceptions, and accessible, effective tools for parents who want to raise emotionally intelligent and resilient teenagers.

   Why Emotional Regulation Matters for Teens

   Emotion impacts every aspect of a teen's da…

6. Ep 337: Coaching Youth Sports with Character

   4 mei 2025 · 23 min

   Afspelen
   Mike Matheny, author of The Dad Coach, reveals how parents and coaches can teach character through youth sports, handle competitive pressures, and create a positive athletic environment. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   Youth sports can be a minefield for parents and kids alike. With intense competition and mounting pressure to excel, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters—the development of character traits that will set our teens up for lifelong success. So how do parents, coaches, and mentors ensure their teen athletes reap the full benefits of sports without becoming overwhelmed?

   This week, Mike Matheny joins us to share clear, impactful wisdom on harnessing youth sports as a tool for shaping teens into better people. Mike is a former MLB catcher, a four-time MLB gold glove winner, and has managed both the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. Mike is also a New York Times bestselling author known for his acclaimed book The Matheny Manifesto and now returns with his latest work, The Dad Coach, a practical guide for parents and coaches of young athletes.

   In this episode, we're exploring Mike's powerful insights on cultivating character through sports, adopting the right competitive mindset, and creating practices that engage and inspire young athletes. Mike reveals how sports, approached thoughtfully, can significantly improve teens' confidence, resilience, work ethic, and interpersonal skills.

   Competitive Edges: Building Inner Strength

   Mike views sports as a rich training ground for building crucial character traits, which he identifies as "Competitive Edges." These include grit, discipline, growth mindset, optimism, selflessness, and composure under pressure. He explains these edges not only help kids become better athletes but prepare them to thrive in academics, careers, and relationships. Mike emphasizes that these traits are controllable factors anyone can develop, regardless of natural talent.

   We discuss how parents and coaches can intentionally incorp…

7. Ep 336: The Teen Brain on Kindness

   27 april 2025 · 17 min

   Afspelen
   Nicole Karlis, author of Your Brain on Altruism, discusses the neuroscience behind altruism, revealing how acts of kindness impact teen brains, mental health, resilience, and lasting happiness. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   As parents, we hope our teenagers grow up to be kind, caring, and community-oriented adults. We encourage them to volunteer, assist neighbors, or participate in community service projects, hoping it'll build character and strengthen empathy. But did you know there's actual science linking altruism to improved well-being, reduced stress, and even better health? What if building compassion wasn't just a nice extra—but a powerful tool for coping with stress, fostering mental health, and developing meaningful relationships?

   Many teens face abundant pressures: academic expectations, college applications, social anxieties, and now the unprecedented rise of loneliness and technology overload. With these challenges mounting, could altruism offer a unique and surprisingly effective antidote—not just helping teens survive but thrive in today's world?

   In this week's insightful conversation, we're joined by Nicole Karlis, health and science journalist and author of Your Brain on Altruism: The Power of Connection and Community During Times of Crisis. Nicole spent nearly a decade exploring the science behind altruism, kindness, and community connection. She specializes in translating compelling neuroscience into practical lessons we can apply right at home with our teens.

   Nicole reveals the neuroscience underpinning the benefits of altruism, describing how selfless actions activate brain regions responsible for stress relief, emotional regulation, and meaningful fulfillment. By cultivating altruistic behaviors, Nicole argues, teens can overcome feelings of isolation and connect meaningfully with their communities—even during a loneliness epidemic.

   In our conversation, Nicole sheds light on why altruism is so powerful and how parents can harness and revive this instin…

8. Ep 335: What Disabled Parents Can Teach Everyone

   23 april 2025 · 20 min

   Afspelen
   Jessica Slice, author of Unfit Parent, shares her profound insights and experiences on disability and parenting, breaking down stereotypes, addressing ableism, and showing what disabled parents can teach us all about resilience, adaptability, and embracing life's challenges. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   In our conversations around parenting, we often have a narrow definition of what abilities and physical capacities are required to be a “good” parent. From movies and advertisements portraying mothers and fathers effortlessly multitasking and holding toddlers on their hip, to parenting talks describing the chaos of carpool lines and daily errands, the portrait of parenting we encounter every day seems to leave out those with disabilities or physical limitations. As a parent, what do you do when your experiences don’t match up with these cultural representations? How can each of us benefit from broadening our understanding of what it truly means to be an effective caregiver?

   In today’s insightful episode, we're joined by writer and disability advocate Jessica Slice, author of Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World. Jessica became disabled at age 28 and has experienced firsthand how our cultural perceptions about motherhood often exclude people with disabilities. Through her writing and advocacy, she passionately argues that disabled parents have powerful insights to offer all parents, and she exposes the ableism and biases in parenting culture. Jessica’s eye-opening perspectives invite us to consider how embracing a broader definition of parenting can benefit everyone.

   What Disabled Parents Can Teach All of Us

   Early in our conversation, Jessica describes how attending a typical parenting talk left her feeling like an imposter because none of the descriptions matched her own parenting reality. In writing openly about her experience, Jessica discovered a community of disabled parents who shared similar feelings. But what began as a revealing essay soo…

9. Ep 334: How Music Shapes Teen Minds and Moods

   13 april 2025 · 22 min

   Afspelen
   Sara and Morton Sherman, authors of Resonant Minds, reveal how parents can use music intentionally to build stronger connections with teens, navigate emotions, and support adolescent development. Lees meer

   Full Show Notes

   In a fast-paced world flooded by digital distractions, it's sometimes difficult for parents to understand how to connect more closely with their teens. We might even wonder: Is music helping or distracting teens? They have their headphones on non-stop, but what music are they listening to, and why does it mean so much to them? Music is consistently present throughout teen culture, providing emotional refuge, identity reinforcement, and sometimes, a channel to express thoughts that might otherwise remain unspoken. But as parents, educators, and caregivers, how can we intentionally use music as a communication tool to foster emotional growth, mindfulness, and stronger family connections?

   In this week's conversation, we explore how music isn't just entertainment or background noise—it's a powerful gateway to teen emotions and a key to deeper family relationships when used mindfully and intentionally.

   Our guests this week, Sara Leila Sherman and Morton Sherman, authors of the new book Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, One Note at a Time, help parents explore ways to better understand and support their teens through music. Sara is a classical musician, educator, and founder of the children's concert series Mozart for Munchkins and the Little Mozart Foundation, while Morton is an esteemed educational leader renowned for visionary contributions in teaching and leadership. They're here to offer insight into the rich possibilities music provides for building emotional awareness, mindfulness, and family connections.

   How Music Shapes Emotions and Mindset

   Sara and Mort explain that teenagers spend up to four hours a day on average listening to music—but not always intentionally or thoughtfully. Music, they explain, is always working subtly to inf…

10. Ep 333: Finding Joy and Humor in Parenting Teens

    6 april 2025 · 24 min

    Afspelen
    William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, authors of The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-driven Child, share how parents can build connection, support autonomy, set healthy expectations, and create more joy and calm in family life. Lees meer

    Full Show Notes

    As our children grow into teenagers, parents often find themselves uncertain about how deeply to intervene. We know our kids need our involvement and guidance, but teenagers also crave autonomy and independence. Teens often appear distant and difficult, getting frustrated when we try to help solve their problems, yet feeling hurt when we don't show enough interest. Add stress about school, extracurriculars, and the future into the mix, and family life can quickly spiral into frequent conflict, anxiety, and disconnection.

    How can we give our teenagers the steady presence they need without micromanaging or inadvertently amplifying their stress? What does being a relaxed, positive, and supportive parent actually look like in daily practice? How can we inspire our teens to be driven, motivated, and self-directed without resorting to threats, bribes, or constant reminders?

    Today's guests, William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, offer compassionate, practical solutions from their new book, The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-driven Child. Bill is a clinical neuropsychologist, and Ned is the founder of Prep Matters. After two bestselling books on parenting and educational motivation, their latest interactive workbook provides powerful exercises and reflective prompts to help parents foster resilience, autonomy, and joy in their families. Together, Bill and Ned show how parents can become calm, confident leaders who empower teens rather than push or control them.

    Building a Calm and Confident Parental Presence

    Bill and Ned share why being a calm, non-anxious presence is one of the most powerful ways to support our teens. Rather than reflecting back our children's stress or adding to it with our own worries, they recommend setting t…

Alle 321 afleveringen →